Today we’d like to introduce you to Chali Jennings.
Hi Chali, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born Frayser and raised in Hickory Hill. To a loving mother and father both also born and raised deep in the mid-south area. I was an only child, a miracle baby basically. The doctors said it wasn’t going to happen to my parents. But here I am. I always had an excessive amount of energy so my mother put me in a dance class at age 4 to help get me to sleep at night.
By age 12, I was teaching those same classes. God blessed me with understanding my purpose and gift, from a very young age, and while my mother nurtured and supported it, my journey has been figuring out all the ways I can share and cultivate it into something great.
My beginnings in Memphis are one of a very humble background. We didn’t have much but I had talent and a drive to do something with it. My parents couldn’t afford the training I really needed to perfect my craft but they did everything they could to provide me the opportunity.
Since back then, there was no internet or easy access to what was going on in the entertainment industry outside of Memphis, my mom would take me everywhere she could to train and compete and I would teach and assist my teachers to pay for these expenses.
In 1999, I graduated from Overton High as Miss. OHS was voted the most talented female of my graduating class. I Was an original member of the “red hots” dance team for the Memphis Redbirds and danced in Nashville for The Opryland Hotel, Miss Tennessee Organization, and The Country Music Awards by the age of 16.
At 19, I put everything in my car and drove to Los Angeles looking for the best opportunities in my field. Meanwhile, continuing to fly back and forth between the west coast and mid-south area where I still continued teaching and choreographing for many local dance studios, high schools, and university dance teams to financially support the pursuit of my dreams.
I lived in Los Angeles for nine years where I built a PR program for the world-famous millennium dance complex, worked in the tv and film industry, and traveled all over the country teaching on dance conventions training the new generations to come.
At the age of 27, I moved to Greece with a job offer that was for 3 months that I have turned into a 12-year career overseas. I created a production company, The Dance Cartel, providing models, casting, dancers, entertainment, etc. to all over Europe. I currently travel back and forth between Greece, Memphis, and Los Angeles for work.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The struggles of moving to a big city like Los Angeles where you know no one and has a very limited source of funds to survive… is extremely intimidating at such a young age. But the drive and passion the city of Memphis gave me was the fire I needed to succeed.
I lost my father at age 19, right before I made that first big move to L.A. and this I believe is something I’m still struggling with today at age 40. But to be honest most of the obstacles I encountered along the way I have learned to block them out.
I don’t wanna accept the negativity or to allow anyone or anything but myself to say I quit or that I have failed. It has been my journey that has been a beautifully rough and unconventional one, but at the end of the day, I’m so proud, humble, determined, and blessed.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I understood young that just dancing and being good at dancing was not a career that would last forever. So I expanded my art into multiple sources of revenue to ensure I could support myself and at the same time artistically make a difference.
I was the main choreographer for the University Of Southern California Dance Team from 2000-to 2020 as well as multiple high school dance teams in the So-Cal area. I started a production company in L.A, in 2001 that provided all services from me including costuming, editing of competitive music, as well as the choreography of the images I was hired to create.
Allowing me basically to capitalize on all the possible avenues of profit as well as giving me complete creative control to see my vision for a team I am creating for come to life. I have continued teaching and providing my creative services to dance teams, dance studios, high schools, and Universities in the Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi areas from 2000-present. I have provided these services to the state beauty pageant circuit as well by providing the entertainment for the shows in addition to having multiple students in the running for Miss. America.
Just to name a few of my experiences while in Los Angeles I danced for Debbie Allen on the Disney show “That’s so Rayven” as well as dancing for artists like local Memphian, Justin Timberlake, on the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, I choreographed an NYE shows for The Bellagio Casino in Las Vegas as well as Pepsi Commercials, and a music video for Disney’s “the lion king 1 1/2”
I am most known for my work in Europe. I came to Greece, not knowing the language or to be honest even where it was on the map and I have created a name for myself and my company. I am most well. known here as the choreographer and on-camera coach of the tv show “House of Fame” and the last two seasons of “X factor”. I was also the choreography coach for “The Voice” as well as my company, The Dance Cartel, starring in the last two seasons’ promo spots of “Greece’s Next Top Model”
With my choreography and creative direction, my company has also danced in numerous music videos, theatrical productions like the musicals “Victor Victoria” and “Chicago” as well as live shows like the Colourday festival. Not to mention the award shows such as The Gabby Awards in L.A., The World Music Awards in Cannes, The MAD Video Music Awards in Greece, The Super Music Awards in Cyprus, and the LOS40 Music Awards in Madrid.
My multiple participations in the Eurovision Song Contest both as a choreographer and as a Creative Director are some achievements that I’m most proud of. I am mostly known for my beautiful team of dancers that is both professional and powerful. I am also well known for my skills in artist development. For taking a new up-and-coming recording artist and finding his/her signature brand and style of movement and making that shine on camera and onstage.
My GRIT sets me apart from others. Being from Memphis sets me apart from others. The high standard of excellence & moral code of conduct my mother instilled in me that I hold myself and all of my team to.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is creating beautiful images with my team and seeing others enjoy them as much as I do. Watching my students accomplish things they never thought possible. These are rewards that justify all the hard work and sacrifices I made to get where am I today. It verifies my purpose and makes my heart happy.
Contact Info:
- Email: chalijennings@me.com
- Website: thedancecartel.gr
- Instagram: @chalijennings
Image Credits
Spyros Chatziaggelakis, Nikos Zikos, X Factor Greece SkaiTv, Adidas Originals Greece, Eurovision Song Contest, and Dance Summer Camp Rhodes Island Greece
